CHEERS, SULLY: Two things swiped from Andrew Sullivan this morning:

A link: A moving tribute to a fallen soldier.

A thought: How is Britney Spears' 24-hour union considered "sacred" and laden with civil rights, yet the union of two men or two women living in a long-term, committed relationship is thought worthy of a constitutional ban?

As I've said before, I'm likely to cast my first Republican vote in 2004, but that doesn't mean I buy the platform. Although my conservatism has awakened, I'm more of an Independent than ever.